(CNN) -- Birgit Fischer made her Olympic debut in Moscow at the age of 18 and was set to retire after the Sydney Games in 2000.

Fischer hopes to add to her 10 Olympic medals in Athens.

But the German announced she was coming out of retirement in 2004 in time for the Athens Games, the aim of adding to her 10 medals -- already a canoeing record.

Athens brought her a gold and silver medal.

It was a different story in Sydney, however, after Fischer had entered the record books with victories in the 500 meters pairs and the 500 meters fours.

"No more competition," she had said as she climbed out of the canoe after becoming the first woman in Olympic history to win gold 20 years apart and the fifth competitor to collect winner's medals at five separate Games.

"Sometimes you just have to finish and it's great to finish on a high."

But perhaps Fischer felt she is still owed a Games.

As an 18-year-old in Moscow in 1980, Fischer claimed gold in the individual event.